The MCU Doubled Down On Its Phase 4 Thor Insult, But Thor 4 Can Fix It
Marvel's What If...? episode 9 depicted Thor as an awkward comedic relief character instead of the powerful God of Thunder he really is, but Thor: Love and Thunder could rectify this. When Thor got in tune with his ability to harness lightning during his fight with Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, fans expected to see him embrace his status as one of the MCU's most powerful characters. Avengers: Infinity War honored this promise, as Thor singlehandedly turned the Battle of Wakanda in favor of the Avengers. But once Thor failed to kill Thanos due to his own ego, his personality took a 180 turn.
After so many consecutive defeats, Thor finally broke in Avengers: Endgame. He found comfort in alcohol, food, and video games and abandoned his will to fight. This was actually an understandable reaction. However, Avengers: Endgame dropped all the nuance of this character development by constantly poking fun at Thor's weight and mental state. Unfortunately, Thor became the butt of the joke for most of the movie. Then, What If...? cemented Thor's character as one of the MCU's goofballs, with Party Thor performing most of the gags in episodes 7 and 9.
Related: Thor Is Now On 4 Superhero Teams In The MCU
However, Thor: Love and Thunder's story could end up restoring some of Thor's complexity and gravitas if it chooses to. Footage shows Chris Hemsworth's Thor sporting a look and demeanor that are on the whole pretty similar to Party Thor's from What If...?.. This might indicate a continuation of the God of Thunder's goofy characterization. But the very real threat posed by Gorr the God Butcher, as well as the genuine progress Thor's mental health seems to have made, could round out his comedic relief role with some gravitas and depth in Thor:
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